Justice News

East Side Los Guada Blood Gang Members Sentenced in Arizona for Violent Assault

WASHINGTON – Amorette Hough and Denrica Gloria Medina, two members of the East Side Los Guada Bloods, were sentenced today in Phoenix to serve 33 months in prison and 27 months in prison, respectively, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo of the District of Arizona.

Hough, 25, and Medina, 25, both of Scottsdale, Ariz., were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Martone in the District of Arizona. In addition to their prison terms, both defendants were sentenced to three years of supervised release after the completion of the prison sentence

On Oct. 16, 2012, Hough pleaded guilty to violent crime in aid of racketeering. On Sept. 26, 2012, Medina pleaded guilty to violent crime in aid of racketeering. Both guilty pleas were for the July 2009 attack of a member of the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community.

Hough and Medina admitted to being members of the violent street gang known as East Side Los Guada Bloods, or East Side Bloods, which operates on the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community in Scottsdale. According to a second superseding indictment filed on March 28, 2012, East Side Bloods members have warred with rival gang members on the reservation and participated in acts of violence including murder, attempted murder, drug distribution, armed robberies, threatening and intimidating witnesses, and firearms trafficking since the gang’s inception in the 1990s. The war that East Side Bloods maintained with rival gangs formed the basis for the July 2009 attack of a member of the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community.

As part of their pleas in this case, Hough and Medina admitted that they were each part of the East Side Bloods gang that was present on July 26, 2009, at the home of a known East Side Bloods associate. The East Side Bloods gang members that were present were wearing red and burgundy – the colors of the East Side Bloods. Hough and Medina both admitted that they knew the victim was the mother of a rival gang member. Hough admitted that the victim came to the gathering, but did not get out of her vehicle after she arrived. After other East Side Blood members at the party realized the victim was in the vehicle, Hough assisted in forcibly removing the victim from the vehicle. According to court documents, Hough, Medina and others hit and kicked the victim to the point of unconsciousness. Hough and Medina also admitted that they continued to hit and kick the victim after the victim lost consciousness. Hough and Medina admitted that the reason for the assault was retaliation for the victim’s son purportedly committing a violent act against other East Side Blood family members. The victim suffered multiple facial fractures, a fractured left orbital socket and brain injury with swelling.

Co-defendants Martinez Francisco Jr., Delola Graycene Medina and Rudy Chavarria Jr. are awaiting trial, which is scheduled to begin on April 9, 2013, before U.S. District Court Judge Frederick J. Martone in Phoenix.

Denecio Francisco, 26, of Mesa, Ariz., was charged yesterday in a third superseding indictment for his role in the racketeering conspiracy.

This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Leshia M. Lee-Dixon and Hans Miller of the Organized Crime and Gang Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Vercauteren. This case was investigated by the Arizona Department of Public Safety GITTEM Task Force, Mesa, Ariz., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Salt River Pima Maricopa Police Department.